FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[GBMAN]

Is there a line on this game or is any team favored?

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

Is there a line on this game or is any team favored?

HSCoach set the point spread on the OAC Pick'ems as follows:

MUC with Rocco throwing more than 10 Passes:  Even
MUC with Rocco throwing less than 10 Passes:  MUC (+13.5)  or UWW (-13.5)

He is usually SCARY Accurate with his Point Spreads!

[footballfan413]

I've been running the OAC pick-em's for the last 6 years and can guarantee that MUC hasn't been a that big of a dog over that span of time.   Can't remember a situation before that either.

Since Larry Kerhes became head coach in 1986, the MUC losses by more than 13 points are as follows:

1988:  41-27 loss to Denison
1989:  31-7 loss to John Carroll
2003:  24-6 loss to St. John's in Stagg

Which, on surface, would make MUC an EXTREMELY good pick with that point spread! Hard to imagine the motivation for making the point spread that high. Seems like it's been hard to get anywhere NEAR 50% of the participants to pick against Mount when they GIVE a ton of points. Hard to believe one player makes THAT much difference when you are talking about THE MACHINE.

Which is why I was asking the question about the point spread in the first place. I know Rocco is a QB, but my next question was going to be : How can one player make that much difference?      

An individual player can make that much differnce when he's the key to your offense.  What would you think UWW's chances would have been without Justin Beaver heading into the '07 Stagg?  It's still a very good team, but it's not the same team without that The Guy.

Where the QB means so much for Mount is the true strength of this offense is the receiving corps.  The 3 receivers (Shorts, Petruziello and Claycomb) and the 2 tightends (Miller and Harrold)  as a group are as talented and versatile as any group they've had in a long, long time.  With the growth of Rocco into a very good QB, the passing offense is something special.  

The 2nd most talented QB on the roster is probably Shorts but he's been a WR for the last 3 years.  The freshman Neal Seaman has potential but not the experienceor timing and nowhere near the arm strength of Rocco.  Not to mention the team's confidence like they have in Rocco.

The Mount running game without Scott Panchik (lost to ACL) is very pedestrian.  Terrance Morring is a hard runner but he's a fullback playing tailback.  He had decent speed as a youngster but 3 knee surgeries have taken its toll.



Here's my thoughts in terms of setting the spread.  Mount won a very competitive, close game last year with the best QB/RB tandem in D3 football that are now gone.  MUC now faces the same team again without a legit threat at RB when the opponent returns many more key playmakers than Mount plus the mental advantage of revenge to drive them.  Because of the running game, Mount isn't nearly as consistent offensively as they'v been in years past.  All things being equal and everyone healthy, UWW is probably a 3 or 4 point favorite.  But being on the OAC page, I have to slant the spreads a little or no one will pick against them.  Hence the game with a healthy Rocco being a pick-em even though I think MUC is really a slight underdog.  Especially without their best D-lineman.

Take out Rocco and the offense is a HUGE question mark.  Shorts is an athlete, but you aren't going to run successfully a peewee football single wing offense against a defense the cailber of Whitewater.  Especially when they have seen it on film and can prepare for it.  It might have worked as a change of pace to the regular offense a couple times, but not as the primary set.  And even if Shorts finds his arm and can throw it again, you've lost your All-American WR and replaced him with another untested freshman and have no ZERO timing between the QB and all the receivers.  The lack of timing severly limits the type of routes that can be successfully run.

You make excellent points and a convincing arguement and I would expect nothing less from you.  And part of me is buying what you're selling.  But the other part, and maybe this is just a kneejerk reaction to losing to the Raiders 3 out of 4 times in the Stagg, is screaming......

  BUT THEY ARE, "THE MOUNT!"

[skunks_sidekick]

Maybe we are being too realistic.  I think for the rest of the week I will use the following....

Whitewater hasn't seen a team that plays this smart, and with this much heart!

We are "THE MOUNT", "THE MACHINE", "THE LEGEND"...we cannot lose!

Rocco is going to come wandering out of the tunnel not really knowing where he is, but STILL throw for 400 yards!

Yah........that's the ticket!   

[Gig Harbor Cat]

413
  Talked to Wildcat11 yesterday about the trip back to UWW.  He said he got to meet you and take part in your tailgate action. 
  Good Times !!

   UWW needs to bring it home for the West.

   GHC

[Sakman 1111]

Anthony White???.......

[Barber Greene]

Anthony White???.......

Maybe UWW can exchange info about Anthony with MUC for info about Rocco. Seems fair.

[retagent]

No one asked Kmic to sit down last year when Coppage was down ....

Isn't my problem that you weren't smart enough to ask  

Actually, it wasn't that we weren't smart enough to ask, but rather, just the exact opposite!!    (now who's being Ed McMahon?)

BTW, hscoach, on a more serious note, I was wondering, when was the last time, if ever, have you had a spread with Mount the dog by so many points (+13.5) in the OAC pickem? Would this be a record # of points? I'm too lazy to go back and check.  

I've been running the OAC pick-em's for the last 6 years and can guarantee that MUC hasn't been a that big of a dog over that span of time.   Can't remember a situation before that either.

Since Larry Kerhes became head coach in 1986, the MUC losses by more than 13 points are as follows:

1988:  41-27 loss to Denison
1989:  31-7 loss to John Carroll
2003:  24-6 loss to St. John's in Stagg

Still cringe at that one.  Down 17-6 about to make it 17-13 (or 14), stuffed on 1st and 2nd and goal from the 1 then that 100 yard pick 6 on 3rd down.  The ultimate nail in the coffin.  SJ was just a better team though.  

If UWW wins Saturday I will have no problem saying the same thing.  They have more than earned my respect over the last few years.  Top notch program without question.  Safe travels to everyone heading to Salem.    

DrAcula - The one thing that still makes me cringe is that the refs blew the call that would have given BE another receiving TD, since replay showed that he, in fact, got both feet down in bounds in the back of the end zone. The score at that time should have been 21 - 7.

bp - the posts you listed from Mt fans that you think are excessive at least come from a program that has a long history of accomplishments. Your own Warhawk fans can be equally annoying, and they have only five years of admitted excellence to back up their crowing. I have been trying to get those who crow the loudest to at least see how annoying that can be to those of us who have a little sense of a longer history.

[Sakman 1111]

Actually retagent there simply is noone more annoying with your constant reminders over and over of history......which each year becomes more apparent that football wise all you may have is history.....I guess if that is I all I had left one might cling to it's past glory than present mediocrity......The thing I have never understood about you is why you are so obnoxious about it......

[Blutarsky]

Actually retagent there simply is noone more annoying with your constant reminders over and over of history......which each year becomes more apparent that football wise all you may have is history.....I guess if that is I all I had left one might cling to it's past glory than present mediocrity......The thing I have never understood about you is why you are so obnoxious about it......

Mount Union??

[02 Warhawk]

Actually retagent there simply is noone more annoying with your constant reminders over and over of history......which each year becomes more apparent that football wise all you may have is history.....I guess if that is I all I had left one might cling to it's past glory than present mediocrity......The thing I have never understood about you is why you are so obnoxious about it......

He's the King of the back-handed compliments   

[rscl70]

The latest non - information about Kurt Rocco:

http://www.cantonrep.com/sports/x819333292/Raiders-awaiting-news-on-injured-QB-Rocco

[retagent]

Thanks for your kind words sakman. Your opinion is so valuable. I would like you to list the top ten programs in D III football for me so that I can be as enlightened as you are. Since I am such a moron, anything you can do to educate me would be appreciated. By the way, I learned in Logic 101 that ad hominum arguements are invaled. Is that ancient history also?

Since we are listing what annoys us, let me state that I am annoyed by callow individuals who have no sense of history.

[janesvilleflash]

Anyone else have to look up "callow"?

[badgerwarhawk]

callow
–adjective
1. immature or inexperienced: a callow youth. 

2. (of a young bird) featherless; unfledged.

–noun 3. a recently hatched worker ant.


adj: Lacking adult maturity or experience; immature: a callow young man